Difference between revisions of "Wistiow"

Wistiow is an easygoing and passive citylord; he primarily lets his people do as they wish, although they are mostly ambivalent towards Wistiow himself, not overly striving to overly please him.{{book ref|sa1|31}} Wistiow himself may be somewhat stuffy,{{book ref|sa1|10}} but he also is likely a generous man who cares for his people, as Lirin firmly believes that Wistiow would have paid for Kaladin's training as a surgeon had he had the chance before his death.{{book ref|sa1|37}} He also calls for Lirin to come set the broken arm of one of hisa young [[parshman]], although later the [[singer]] in question, [[Abiajan]], questions whether the event only took place because Wistiow had paid a good price for her.{{book ref|sa4|1}}

During his time as citylord, Wistiow became friends with [[Lirin]], the town's surgeon.{{book ref|sa1|41}} The two often joked about other lighteyes,{{book ref|sa1|41}} and Wistiow and Lirin also had made plans that their children, [[Kaladin]] and Laral, might one day wed.{{book ref|sa1|25}} House Wistiow was a relatively poor family of little- renown, and both could benefit from the connection. Wistiow may even have promised that he would fund sending [[Kaladin]]'s training as a surgeon in [[Kharbranth]] to take care of his town.{{ref|group=fn|text=It is uncertain if Wistiow ever promised to pay for Kaladin's training. Lirin claims that in stealing the spheres, he only ensured that promises were kept, but he had earlier mentioned that they had lost the promise of a union with Laral.{{book ref|sa1|37}} This may indicate that they had originally planned to use Wistiow's money once Kaladin had married into the family, or even that Lirin was substituting the spheres for the loss of the engagement.}}

Around early {{Rosharan date|1166}}, an army passed through Hearthstone and asked Citylord Wistiow's permission to recruit a few of the older boys in town.{{book ref|sa1|16}} A few weeks later, Wistiow became ill and Lirin began to treat him in his mansion. Within a week, Wistiow's already frail health had diminished substantially{{book ref|sa1|16}} and he lost lucidity as he entered his final days.{{book ref|sa1|37}} Knowing the marriage between Kaladin and Laral was now in jeopardy, Lirin prepared the appropriate documents,{{book ref|sa1|37}} as well as a simple will written in [[glyphs]]{{book ref|sa1|25}} that would grant Kaladin a supply of diamond broams to fund his education in Kharbranth.{{book ref|sa1|16}} He had Wistiow's scribes read the message to the man, before Wistiow sent them away.{{book ref|sa1|37}} Wistiow was not coherent enough to stamp the documents, so Lirin did it himself. Wistiow passed away shortly thereafter.{{book ref|sa1|16}}

Wistiow's death lead to a period of severe hardship in Hearthstone, as he was the last male of his line.{{book ref|sa1|16}} This meant that he was replaced after several months{{book ref|sa1|20}} by Citylord [[Roshone]],{{book ref|sa1|25}} who had been exiled to Hearthstone for his actions in the capital.{{book ref|sa2|62}} The odd circumstances surrounding Wistiow's death lead rumors to circulaterumors circulating among the townspeople, perhaps spread by [[Miliv]], that Lirin had written the document and tricked a confused Wistiow into signing it.{{book ref|sa1|25}} This suspicion was only exacerbated by Roshone upon his arrival,{{book ref|sa1|31}} whoas he wished to add themthe funds to the meager lands and property he had received from the Wistiow estate.{{book ref|sa1|37}} The planned engagement of Kaladin and Laral also fell through under Roshone, as Laral had not yet reached her day of majority and Roshone was unwilling to let her dowry go.{{book ref|sa1|37}} Instead he engaged her to his own son [[Rillir]] to tie their family to a respectable house. Following Rillir's death, Laral was engaged to Roshone himself instead.{{book ref|sa1|44}} Lirin found himself unable to leave Hearthstone despite the difficulties his family faced, because he still felt like no one would care for the citizens of Hearthstone once Wistiow had passed away.{{book ref|sa1|37}}